Innovasthan: A National Movement to Catalyze Innovation and IP-led Growth Across India

Bengaluru, 2025 — A powerful new chapter in India’s innovation journey unfolded in Bengaluru with the launch of Innovasthan – A Vichar to Vikas Yatra, a national initiative aimed at turning ideas into scalable impact through innovation, intellectual property, and collaborative partnerships. The event was inaugurated by Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, at Hotel Shangri-La and marked the beginning of a transformational movement across Indian states.

Innovasthan is the brainchild of Dr. Shweta Singh, a visionary innovation strategist, Chairperson of the Council for Industrial Innovation and Research (CIIR) powered by Ennoble IP, a global KPO/LPO in the field of intellectual property and research consulting. Born from her decade-long mission to empower universities, startups, and MSMEs with the tools and frameworks for sustainable innovation, Innovasthan is designed to bridge policy with practice, and passion with protection. Dr. Singh conceptualized this movement as a national yatra that travels state to state, uncovering grassroots innovations, enabling their protection through IP, and accelerating their path to commercialization. Her vision is to build a self-reliant Bharat by institutionalizing innovation as a habit, not a one-time achievement.

In his keynote address, Governor Gehlot invoked India’s civilizational legacy of knowledge systems and scientific inquiry—highlighting milestones from ancient universities like Takshashila and Nalanda to pioneering thinkers like Aryabhata and Sushruta. He emphasized that India’s future rests in its ability to convert its intellectual capital into innovation capital. Applauding India’s rise in the Global Innovation Index from 81st in 2015 to 40th in 2023, the Governor called for deeper integration of innovation and IP practices across educational institutions and startups. He urged Indian innovators to embrace the mantra of “Innovate – Protect – Scale”, noting that while India is home to over 100,000 startups and 110 unicorns, a significant gap remains in IP protection and commercialization.

The launch brought together some of the most respected names in education, policy, and industry. Dr. Chenraj Roychand, Chancellor of Jain (Deemed-to-be University), spoke passionately about the role of academia in fostering entrepreneurial thinking. Dr. Shweta Singh called for structured, IP-centric innovation ecosystems across all sectors. Prof. (Dr.) Ashutosh Sharma, President of the Indian National Science Academy, highlighted the need to build strong pipelines from lab research to market. AICTE Chairman, Prof. T.G. Sitharam, advocated for vernacular and accessible technical education, while Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, CGPDTM at DPIIT (joining virtually), emphasized the importance of IP education and policy alignment. Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, Executive Director (AMESA) at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, reaffirmed the global opportunity for Indian institutions to improve their innovation rankings by aligning with IP and impact.

A high-powered panel discussion titled “From Policy to Practice – Bridging Academia, Startups, and Industry” served as the centerpiece of the event. The panel featured insights from leaders across academia and industry including SPJIMR, Upgrad, WIPRO, DXC Technology, and Omega Seiki Mobility, who discussed innovation readiness, the need for commercialization platforms, and expanding access to IP infrastructure.

The event concluded with a Recognition Ceremony honoring individuals and institutions that have contributed significantly to India's innovation landscape. Innovasthan’s Bengaluru launch is just the beginning. The movement is now set to travel across 20 Indian states, including upcoming chapters in Odisha, Bihar, Nagaland, Assam, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Delhi. In each state, Innovasthan aims to uncover local innovators, provide IP support, create linkages with academic institutions and industries, and accelerate India's rise as a global innovation leader.

As Dr. Shweta Singh noted in her address, “Innovation is not a department. It is a culture. Innovasthan is our collective step toward building that culture—where every student, researcher, startup, and institution becomes a stakeholder in India’s innovation economy.”

Innovasthan is more than a platform—it is a national movement to discover, protect, and scale India’s brightest ideas.

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